Doing it the right way
by Ariicia
Summary: Shunsui's been procrastinating. But the job needs to be done. And when it finally is... Two-shot, spoilers for Thousand Year Blood War arc. Not a Shunsui/Lisa.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: Spoilers for the Thousand Year Blood War arc!**

**I do not own Bleach.**

* * *

"Taichou."

_No response._

"Taichou. Stop pretending you're not there. Ukitake-taichou sent a message for you."

_No response._

Nanao sighed. This odd behaviour was no longer odd for her once easygoing, flamboyant captain. She didn't blame him. More calamities had befallen Soul Society since the Vandereich invasion, and the fate of the world now rested upon her captain's shoulders. Despite having taken her along when he changed positions, Kyouraku wasn't taking the change well. Four days ago, when Captain Unohana and Captain Zaraki disappeared, he'd locked himself in his office and hadn't come out since.

"He said has some recommendations to fill the vacant positions." Nanao swallowed the despair that threatened to creep into her voice. _Yamamoto. Sasakibe. Kira. Replacing them is...impossible._ "You need to stop slacking off and get on it. This is your job now, and I won't cover for you anymore."

She left the lie hanging in the air and quickly walked away. She knew he knew the truth.

* * *

Inside, Shunsui Kyouraku smiled for the first time since his appointment as head captain. Leave it to Nanao to do the impossible.

But Nanao being the carrier did not make Ukitake's message any less caustic. Ukitake wasn't requesting a meeting. Nor was he offering help. The problem of filling the vacant positions was already solved, and he knew Ukitake knew it. No, Ukitake was bluntly telling him to get over his personal feelings and finish the job up.

The Gotei 13 needed two captain and 3 lieutenant levelled Shinigami to fill the holes left by Yamamoto, Sasakibe, Kira, Kuchiki, and Kuchiki. Even if the Kuchiki siblings were to make a full recovery, there were no guarantees that the growth of either Zaraki or Unohana would make up for the loss of the other.

The replacements were needed alright. And he knew exactly who would be taking those spots. As did Ukitake. And Hirako. And Mugurama. And Otoribashi.

He just...couldn't bring himself to ask that of Lisa and the others after all the wrong Soul Society had done to them-he knew the ones who remained in the living world held deep grudges against Shinigami. Despite Hirako's reassurances that the remaining Vaizards would undoubtedly accept the proposal, Shunsui still was hesistant.

_"Kyouraku-taichoooou-mmmm! Nanao-chan! What are you doing?"_

_"No, Matsumoto-fukutaichou. He hasn't been doing his work for DAYS. You are NOT going in to bring him 10 different varieties of sake and provide more inspiration to be lazy."_

_Oh, Nanao_. Hints of his usual grin slipped back onto Shunsui's face as he searched for a hell butterfly to record the message he'd waited 4 days to send. If Matsumoto-fukutaichou was supplying free sake, he, Shunsui Kyouraku, was not one to miss out.

* * *

_!_

_!_

_!_

_!_

Four apprehensive faces turned toward the fifth as the butterfly's message finally began to sink in...

_"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, STINKIN' BALDY?! GIMME THAT DAMN BUG, LISA, I'M GONNA SMASH IT INTO PIECES!"_

"Crushing the butterfly's not gonna change the message, Hiyori." When Hiyori showed no signs of cooling down, Lisa gave up. "Love."

At Lisa's call, Love groaned and set about the impossible task of placating Hiyori as she stalked off in search of her fatal sandal stock.

"Ooohh, Hiyorin's not happy? She doesn't want to see Shinji?" Mashiro mused.

"She probably doesn't like the proposed assignments. Even though they look quite fair other than..._that_." Hachi offered.

"I know! Thirteenth sounds fun! Ukitake would let me bug Kensei allllll day!" Mashiro chirped.

Lisa snorted. "Please. You give Shunsui way too much credit. This setup is pathetic. I mean, really? Putting HIYORI as LOVE's vice-captain just so I can be under Rose? He must be looking to destroy the Eighth even more than he already has."

"He's just...thinking of you, Lisa. He wants you to be where you want-" Hachi was cut off by a flying sandal before he could finish his sentence. Love's hiss and subsequent yell from Hiyori rang through the living room.

"I do NOT want to be the target of THAT -" Lisa points toward the doorway, through which the sounds of fist hitting head and sandal hitting wall was more than abundant "- every day."

Receiving no more arguments in Shunsui's defense from Hachi, Lisa looked back at the hell butterfly and chuckled. "He's still as useless as always. Can't get anything done without me. Hold the fort, Hachi. I'm gonna pay that lazy bum a visit. If we're going back to Shinji, Rose, and Kensei, we're going back the right way."

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**I miss the Vaizards sooo much. Hope Kubo brings them back soon!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**For Hollywollypolly : I write just to remember little things and not in the hope that anyone reads my stories, so I was really, really happy to get your review :) So much that I decided to add a sequel to the story. Sorry it's so short, but happy birthday! **

* * *

_In Seireitei_

"Y-Yadomaru-fukutaichou?!"

Lisa blankly stared at the shocked woman in front of her for a few seconds before recognition clicked in.

"Nanao-chan. Been a while. How've you been- oh wait. DON'T answer that." Lisa had caught sight of the Nanao's armband and was not interested in hearing how she'd fared with that womanizing sloth over the past 100 years. She may be into erotics, but she definitely did not want to know what happened when a girl as innocent and unsuspecting as Nanao collided with an idiot like Shunsui.

Nanao mistook Lisa's dissent. "Oh. Um, Yadomaru-fukutaichou...this is just..."

Lisa couldn't help smiling at the girl's meekness. She really had not changed. "Now I know why I never saw you with the others at Karakura. 'Prince Charming' wouldn't let'cha, eh?" A frown reclaimed her face as she was reminded once again why she was here. "Oh. Oh. Relax, Nanao. I'm not mad at YOU. But him, he better not expect to get outta this with 10 fingers and toes."

"Y-Yadomaru-fukutaichou"

"Cut that out."

"Sorry. Uh...Yadomaru-san...what's with all that...blood?"

"Oh. You mean this?" Lisa raised her right hand-her _bloodstained_ right hand. "Kisuke was bein' ...Kisuke."

And with that, she stomped off into the 1st division headquarters.

Nanao followed. Soul Society...may need a new head captain very soon...

* * *

Shunsui was, once again, locked in the first division office.

This time, it wasn't to hide from his duty.

It was to despair, now that the duty'd been done. And to hopefully be the last to hear Lisa's response. He knew he was being ridiculous, but at the moment, he didn't care. He just didn't want to think about what would happen next.

Well, not that the division was being quiet enough for him to think. He heard footsteps. Nanao must be getting worried again. He really shouldn't be putting her through this, but when matters involved Lisa, being around Nanao was just a little too excruciating.

"... he's not going to come out. Matsumoto-san got him to go drinking yesterday, but he left after just one cup. Other than that, he's been comatose in that room for days. I don't even know if he's alive anymore."

Wait. Nanao was never that chatty...except with HER. And that reiatsu...

"What, he's been selfishly worryin' you like this for days? And you let him get AWAY with it? No wonder he's even more incompetent than before. You can't take it easy with him. He's like a puppy; throw him one bone and he'll always expect another. He doesn't deserve your spoiling, Nanao-chan."

Oh no. It was her. It HAD to be her. No other person would dare talk to Nanao about the way she managed her captain. There was now a sole plank of would between him and the source of his upcoming doom. He looked around. Why, oh why did Yama-jii have all the windows removed from First? _He_ had specially installed a couple in the Eighth for situations like these. Escaping was always a much better plan than hiding behind a door.

He heard a blade being unsheathed. A flurry of vibrations, the sound of metal on wood. A few seconds later, the door, or the pile of shredded wood that once was a door, fell to a pile on the ground. On the other side of the frame stood a woman he simultaneously wanted to see more than the rest of the world yet was terrified of facing.

Indeed, escaping was a much better plan. Oh well. Nothing he could do now. If the colour of hand was any indicator, Soul Society would need a new head captain very soon. He quickly mouthed _"Juushiro"_ to Nanao before shyly addressing the newcomer.

"Welcome back, Lisa."

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**I haven't the slightest idea what to actually right in their conversation. If I get any ideas, I might add a third chapter. For now, thanks for reading!  
**

**~Ariicia**


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